Whether you’re lending a friend your vibrator, borrowing theirs or engaging in a threesome, the question of whether you can share sex toys is a controversial one. Some experts say yes, some say no. Girls Get Off look at the facts.
Sex toys are expensive. Well worth the coin but expensive.
So when you're yapping to your friends about how amazing Tiff is, she ticks your boxes, ticks your partner's boxes and spices up your sex life so well you're pretty sure there's no spice left in the world for anyone else, it can result in one of two things.
They immediately ask if you've got a dissy code so they can use it to buy their own or admit they looked into buying Tiff but couldn't justify the cost *sigh*.
As a top-tier friend, you may find the words "Oh, you can borrow mine!" at the tip of your tongue, and it's understandable. Who wouldn't want to share the joy of Tiff with the world?
We've been there, and we've had a few of you admit you've been there too, which got us thinking, can you share sex toys with your friends?
According to one expert, it's a hard no.
Speaking to Cosmopolitan, Women's health expert and MD Jennifer Wider said, "Sharing vibrators and sex toys with friends is never a good idea."
She lists many reasons, like passing on bacteria and germs to the simple fact of it being a little bit icky, but also noted there are much more serious reasons as well, "They can also transmit Hepatitis A, HIV, and a number of other STDS."
However, different strokes for different folks means a hard no for someone can just mean coming up with a crafty solution for another.
Speaking to Refinery 29, Elise Schuster, MPH and co-founder of sex education company OkaySo, said while there "is a risk", she doesn't believe it's a hard no.
She told the news outlet that friends can take precautions when sharing vibrators, such as making sure the toy is made of high-quality materials—like the medical-grade silicone used on all Girls Get Off toys.
She said these toys are "much easier to either sterilise or disinfect," as lower-quality toys are "really porous, so you can never really get them totally disinfected."
This brings us to cleaning. Before and after each use (whether you're sharing toys or not), you should give your toy a good clean.
Use warm water and soap or if you are looking for something with a higher disinfectant rate or have a battery operated toy that can't be submerged in water, try Girls Get Off's easy to use cleaning options such as After Banger or Cleanies.
Other ways you can practise safe sex when sharing toys is if you're using DeeDee, Rabbit vibrators or dildos, you can place a condom over it and take it off when you're done.
"If you're going to be sharing it in the same session, then using condoms is the safest way. If you're going a few days or weeks between sharing, then washing is totally fine," she said.
Dr. Jill McDevitt, a California-based sexologist, also weighed in on the topic when speaking to Well + Good. She stated that if you are using the same toy in a same-sex session with someone who has a sexually transmitted disease, "the risk of transmission is pretty high".
However, she noted that if you're using medical-grade silicone toys, like Girls Get Off's range, you're thoroughly washing the toys before and after each use and waiting 24 hours between uses, "you're highly unlikely to contract HPV (or any other STI, for that matter)".
Verdict: As long as you are taking the right precautions and using medical-grade silicone toys, you can share your vibrators with your friends.
THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN BY…..
Hiiii queens!! I’m Lillie Rohan, a Lifestyle and Entertainment journalist. I currently write for established publications such as NZ Herald, Metro.co.uk, The Mirror & of course, Girls Get Off. Along with all things pop culture, I love bringing you helpful info on all things relationship, sex and self pleasure, it’s a vibe! x